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 Wednesday, June 7
Navratilova ousted in doubles match
 
 ESPN.com news services

PARIS -- Martina Navratilova says the older she gets, the harder it is to control her nerves.

Navratilova's French Open comeback ended Wednesday when she and Mariaan de Swardt lost to France's Alexandra Fusai and Natalie Tauziat 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 in a match begun late Tuesday as darkness fell.

Navratilova said she was annoyed that she hasn't managed to play as well in a match as she has in practice.

Martina Navratilova, Mariaan de Swardt
Martina Navratilova, right, wishes she had played as well in Wednesday's match with Mariaan de Swardt as she has in practice.

"That's just nerves. That's getting better, every match is getting better," she said.

A two-time singles champion and seven-time doubles winner at the French Open, Navratilova came out of retirement to play at Roland Garros for the first time since 1994. She is halfway through her four-tournament comeback.

Next up, Navratilova will compete at a grass-court event in Eastbourne, England in two weeks before attempting to tie Billie Jean King for the most overall Wimbledon titles with 20 later this month.

Navratilova was eliminated in the second round of mixed doubles Sunday.

Navratilova, 43, said all athletes get increasingly nervous as they age.

"You feel so much more, maybe the love of the game and you want to do so well. You know your time is running out," she said. "You know what pressure is. I played Evonne Goolagong in the quarterfinals in 1973 and had set point. I could have beaten her. I was having the time of my life.

"Now if I had to play a quarterfinals singles match, I don't know if I could walk out there, I'd be so nervous," she said. There were no women's singles matches Wednesday.

There were no women's singles matches played Wednesday.

Top-seeded Martina Hingis will play her doubles partner, sixth-seeded Frenchwoman Mary Pierce, in the women's semifinals Thursday.

The other matchup will be between two Spaniards, No. 5 Conchita Martinez and No. 8 Arantxa Sachez-Vicario, a three-time champion.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
 


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